Did my idiot cluster just die or .. ?
 

I have an 87 NA GXL, fully stock w/ no problems (approx 70k miles on engine, and only needs a shock and a small repair to muffler). Last night it was going fine, I got gas and went over to pick my girl up from work. Came out of her work and hey what do ya know, all of my idiot lights where on.

Oil pressure is fine (gets up to just over 60 and will drop at stop to about 40-45, stock guages), coolant is fine (stays just under half, just flushed the system about a week ago), fuel is at 1/4 atm, and my Volts are at 12 (here is an odd one*). I have no buzzers going off and the cluster isn't that abd except at night where there is a x-mas tree lol

* My guage has never seen below 12, the only time it gets that far is on a stormy night (which is was last night). However usually when I get going itwill go back up, it didn't stayed at a constant 12. I was thinking alt died but it never dropped below 12 just stayed there.

I pulled my cluster guage, there was only one semi-bad area. No jumps though... I cleaned it up. Sorry can't find my camera atm, the girl used it last and well yeah they always end up lost in her votrex of crap.


Alright still clueless.

Here is what I think it could be, can someone give me insight on what I should check.

~ Bad ground (where would the clusters ground be?)
~ Bad ignition (but the car starts and runs fine...)
~ Bad Alt (but it stays at 12V, never below or above atm, used to always be at 15)
~ Car need my foot so far up it's exaughst, it retreads the tires (but my treads are perfect.. lol)

Possibly a loose solder joint in the idiot light module. The soldering jobs on these things is notoriously bad. The clock on mine died a long time ago (i just havent fixed it)

It's really not hard to fix if you know how to solder. Just be very careful taking the plastic bezel off from around the module, they get really brittle and tend to snap like a potato chip if you aren't careful. Don't use a screwdriver to get it off, use something like the wide edge of a gift card and take your time.

see thats the thing. I figured that would be it but when I pulled the cluster everything was as if it was new. Except for 1 small melty area (I forget what to call it, but its like the top coat burns and turns a little brown), I cleaned that up. The rest is still good color and everything. My clock is dead and I don't care about it lol (radio has clock in it). Think it would be too bad if I just pulled it for now? I was planning on moving it anyways (putting it below stereo and placing a place to dock my PSP up there)

Is it detrimental to anything if I pull it is what I am saying? I check all fluids everyday and keep the thing in good condition. lol I just don't like the look of a sock in front of my idiot cluster... looks like im hiding stuff up there.

Well I died... last night I had checked everything in the dark and I guess my altenator belt had lost half its teeth.... (I dont know what to call them) and today it just let go... yay its only a belt

Oh yeah that's right. All the lights will come on like that when the Alt has a problem.
I just never think about it because my 86 doesn't do that.

my rx7 just had this happen last night .. the belt broke and then I dealt with all that bullshit of having it light up ... thanks for posting some advice :icon_tup:

did you guys change the fuse for your clocks.. my clock wasnt working and when i swap all my fuses in the fuse box.. guess what :P

clock is working again :)